Viva la Vida
by Heartsong's Fanfictions
Summary: A songfic about Brokenstar, and his thoughts from the battle with ThunderClan to his very death. Song: Viva la Vida by Coldplay.


**Well, I was reading about Brokenstar in CotC in my car and Viva la Vida by Colplay blasted out of my radio. RIGHT THEN I decided to write this. It just seemed so perfect, with the amazing picture Wayne McLoghlin drew of him sitting on the hill. It just fit the song. So here it is!**

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_I used to rule the world  
Seas would rise when I gave the word  
Now in the morning I sleep alone  
Sweep the streets I used to own_

Brokenstar sat atop a lonely hill, trying to keep his head up and retain his pride. He was about to launch an attack on ThunderClan - and hopefully get at that measly apprentice while he took over.

He used to rule the most powerful Clan in the forest - his 'loyal' cats would have made the ground itself shake if he had asked them to. But then those elders turned on him, and the rest of his traitorous Clan followed suit. But he still had Blackfoot, his loyal deputy, and the rest of his most loyal servants. There was something about that word which made him say it a lot. Maybe it's because now... he's banned from the ground in which he once ruled.

_I used to roll the dice  
Feel the fear in my enemies eyes  
Listen as the crowd would sing:  
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"_

Brokenstar used to control everything. Seek the fear in his enemies eyes. When he killed Raggedstar, that old kittypet, he heard the crowd yowl his name joyously, "Brokenstar! Brokenstar!" Oh, and what a wonderful feeling, sitting atop that rock, looking upon the crowd of cats. But the real reason he killed those cats is not because he was evil. He was just... hurt. Confused. Lizardstripe didn't help; even his own mother didn't want him, and he was sure of it. No one did.

So he vowed to himself that he would be the fiercest, most feared leader in the whole forest. He would defend his borders with tooth and claw, and catch every frog from ShadowClan camp to highstones.

_One minute I held the key  
Next the walls were closed on me  
And I discovered that my castles stand  
Upon pillars of salt, and pillars of sand  
_

For a few moons he was doing marvelous. He managed to drive WindClan out and take over the moorlands. He felt proud of that victory; even if ShadowClan couldn't catch rabbits for their lives. But they could learn, couldn't they?

Brokenstar thought so.

But then everything just... disappeared. With that single battle. He discovered that the only reason the ShadowClan cats followed him was because they were afraid of him - and they had every right to be.

But he still felt guilty.

_I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing  
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field  
For some reason I can not explain  
Once you know there was never, never an honest word  
That was when I ruled the world  
_

And so Brokenstar sits atop this hill, wondering what went wrong. Hopefully his cats would still be his tooth and claw, still fight in this foreign territory. Brokenstar always knew that there was never an honest word he spoke...  
_  
It was the wicked and wild wind  
Blew down the doors to let me in.  
Shattered windows and the sound of drums  
People could not believe what I'd become  
Revolutionaries Wait  
For my head on a silver plate  
Just a puppet on a lonely string  
Oh who would ever want to be king?_

The wind buffeted his fur, and he let out a fierce yowl as he lead his Clan into battle. The sounds of battle rang in his ears as he raked his claws down one cats' nose. Yellowfang, the old ShadowClan medicine cat, was staring at him in horror. As if she couldn't believe what he had become - a rogue, and a monster.

Then again... he didn't either.

Brokenstar bet, after that fateful battle where he had lost his sight to that fox-hearted medicine cat, that the whole of ShadowClan and WindClan wanted his throat torn out and fed to a badger.

He felt like a mouse being played with by a kit.

Oh, who wants to be leader, anyway?

_I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing  
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field  
For some reason I can not explain  
I know Saint Peter won't call my name  
Never an honest word  
And that was when I ruled the world_

Brokenstar didn't feel one shred, one mousetail of guilt when he plotted with Tigerstar. He felt angry, yes, and frustration, but ever guilty. He taught himself not to feel. It had worked - for the most part.

It was nice to know his warriors still had faith in him, that they would still fight to their last breath for him. Unlike the rest of those cats, in that seemingly far-off land where he had once ruled...

_Hear Jerusalem bells are ringing  
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field  
For some reason I can not explain  
I know Saint Peter will call my name  
Never an honest word  
But that was when I ruled the world_

Brokenstar knew, for some reason, that StarClan wouldn't accept him. All of those memories kept flooding back; the ones of power, the ones of fear, and those of betrayal, as he lay dying at the paws of his unlikely mother Yellowfang. He now felt guilty that he banished her, and wished he had more time to do what was right. He was regretting his actions. And as death drew him in, he tried to speak, but couldn't, so he just thought his apology -

He was sorry that he never spoke an honest word.

And that was when he ruled the world.

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**I think it's terrible, but review anyway!  
**


End file.
